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Aloha Tofu Kabobs

Take charge of your BBQ destiny with these Aloha Tofu Kabobs! Because there ain’t no shame in your grillin’ game when you whip up these kabobs. With these savory beauties, everyone will be asking for the recipe.

Two words: GAME CHANGER.

Let me explain.

With summer in full swing, there’s only one thing on my mind when it comes to mealtime: GRILLING! Well, that and this raspberry peach frosé. Because putting down a frozen summer cocktail shouldn’t happen for anything less than these addicting ALOHA TOFU KABOBS.

Marinated AND basted in a shamelessly good sesame-tamari sauce (which just so happens to be loaded with garlic, ginger, and fresh chives), these simple kabobs are donned with juicy pineapple, bell peppers, tomatoes, red onion and zucchini-wrapped tofu—and then grilled to perfection. Like smoky, delicious perfection where pineapple caramelizes and tofu is so delicious, that even the most voracious omnivore eat it right up and ask for seconds.

I pinkie promise, this is the best way to make tofu on the grill. Period.

But can I ask you a personal question?

Are you a tofu lover? Because I can honestly say, I haven’t always been a tried and true fan. In fact, the thought of cooking with it was even kind of, dare I say, borrrring!

But that’s only because I didn’t understand its magic. And there truly is some magic when it comes to properly cooked tofu. I mean, is there really anything worse than poorly cooked fermented soy protein? I think not.

Here’s the secret though. You gotta drain it. Drain it like mad! Most tofu typically comes packed in water. Which means pressing your tofu (a.k.a. wrapping your tofu in a clean kitchen towel and placing a weighty object like a cast iron skillet or cookbook atop at least 30 minutes prior to cooking) is imperative.

Then marinate it like crazy! Tofu is a versatile blank canvas. Which means it can take on a variety of flavors. (Cool!) But you need to marinade it for at least 30 minutes to get the best results. (D’oh!)

And one more trick. Firm tofu (as used in this recipe) is just the thing to use when marinating and grilling.

Once you’ve unlocked the magic of cooking and grilling with tofu, these kabobs are a cinch! They require minimal hands-on time and are lightly saucy and sticky on the outside, and warm and flavorful on the inside.

And the sauce…I can’t even. It’s extremely yummy and can be anything: marinade, dressing, dip, you name it! I’d recommend whipping up a second batch for extra kabob basting purposes and/or as a dipping sauce. It’s just so YUM.

But what I really wanna say here, is that it’s time to CELEBRATE!

Because with these Aloha Tofu Kabobs…

Long gone are the days of fiddling with sad tofu that tastes soggy and bland.

Long gone are the days of navigating your way through backyard soirees. This crowd-loving recipe is sure to win over everyone!

Long gone are the days when veggie burgers rule the grill (although don’t get me wrong, I do LOVE a good veggie burger).

With these Aloha Tofu Kabobs, there really is a lot to celebrate. I’m curious to hear if you like this recipe as much as I do! If you try it and like it, leave a comment or snap a picture and tag @homegrownprovisions on Instagram and hashtag it #homegrownprovisions so I can see what you’ve been grilling up!

Instructions

Whisk together all marinade ingredients except for garlic, ginger and chives. Fold those in last, stirring lightly to incorporate. Set aside.

Place tofu cubes into a medium-sized bowl and pour 1/4-1/2 of the marinade over the top. Toss to combine and set aside for at least 30 minutes, but up to 8 hours (be sure to cover and refrigerate if marinating for longer than 30 minutes).

In a separate bowl, combine the pineapple and all of the veggies except for the zucchini ribbons. Pour roughly 1/4 of the marinade over the veggies. Toss well. Set aside for at least 30 minutes as well, and cover and refrigerate if marinating longer (for up to 8 hours).

Once tofu and veggies are properly marinated, start by wrapping a zucchini ribbon around a tofu cube. Skewer the cube where the ribbon naturally ends to keep the zucchini in place. Repeat this step each time you skewer the tofu.

Thread the remaining ingredients (including tofu) alternating veggies and tofu on each skewer.

Grill the kabobs over medium-hot heat (if cooking on a stovetop grill pan) or over hot coals (on an outdoor BBQ grill) for about 15 minutes. Be sure to turn the kabobs every 3-5 minutes, basting with any remaining marinade.

Serve kabobs plain or over a bed of rice or your favorite grain. Top with a sprinkle of freshly chopped chives and more sesame-tamari marinade as desired.